Rakane 1/2
by PaperTiger
Summary: Let's see, it's almost like all the characters from Ranma were thrown into a blender then served up for your reading pleasure. - Jenna (Lin) Lee
1. Default Chapter

Rakane ½  
  
created by Jia Ri Meng & Paper Tiger  
  
Version 1.1  
  
Disclaimer at the bottom.  
  
Special Thanks to Monica Joria and Jenna Lee  
  
Chapter 1: Chaos on Ice  
  
By Paper Tiger  
  
Nerima: for the last few years, it has been subject to an exponentially-rising number of calamities. It has without a doubt become the most confusing, destructive, and hell-raised berg in Tokyo. What could be the cause? What ground-shaking force could move the Earth off its axis? Well, here she comes now.  
  
Enter Rakane Saotendo, sole heir to the Saotendo Indiscriminate School of Martial Arts. Her two black pigtails bounced against her backpack with each step, her walk surprisingly unfeminine. Rakane was always reluctant to wear the school uniform and would much prefer to wear pants if she could. Still, the peak of many boys' days was seeing her in a mini-skirt (Not that she cared.)  
  
The morning school yard was bustling when Rakane arrived. Girls conformed and conversed in their cliques and the boys in theirs. Either group would graciously accept her as a member, only she never felt . comfortable. Heck, the only person she considered a friend was-  
  
"Rakane, prepare thyself," shouted an advancing shaggy-haired student with a boys uniform and a wooden sword. "If I defeat thee, sweet rkn."  
  
The closeness of Rakane's foot made vowels very hard to pronounce. Rakane sighed and lowered her leg. The student tenderly rubbed his nose and had a look of forlorn on his face. Though her logic and experience told Rakane she was wasting her time, she tried to reason with the idiot.  
  
"What is it today, Kuroshi?"  
  
"I was wondering if you'd like to go to the Ice Skating Competition at Kolkhoz High School this weekend."  
  
"What was my answer on Wednesday??"  
  
" 'No.' "  
  
"Good. What was my response yesterday?"  
  
" 'No chance in hell.' But I thought you might have changed your mind since then!"  
  
It would take a force stronger than reason to pierce Kuroshi's thick skull. Pain worked quite well, but Rakane was going to be late for class.  
  
"Okay," she said with a sigh. "I'll go with you, but only as a friend. This is NOT a date, understand?"  
  
"Sure thing, understand completely," he said gesticulating his hands with glee.  
  
Kuroshi's deepest dream was to have Rakane think of him as more than a friend, but he was content with what he could get. He felt more likely to gain her affection via friendship and understanding; a philosophy directly opposite of-  
  
Guiseppe Iorio, Furinkan High's exchange student from Italy, was leaning his weight against the entrance of the school when Rakane came running up. He stepped forward just enough to block her path.  
  
"I need to get by," said Rakane bluntly.  
  
"Just so long as our match is still on for Saturday," the Eternally-Lost Pizza Boy replied, his Japanese laced heavily with an Italian accent.  
  
Saturday, the same day as the Ice Skating match.  
  
"S-Sure thing, I haven't forgotten. Now let me get to class."  
  
The moment Guissepe lost sight of Rakane, the boy collapsed into a smiling heap. He could never reveal to her how he really felt, but could only act the part of a strong, macho student. It's no wonder that the first time he talked to her, he got himself into a challenge.  
  
'Oh, dearest Rakane,' he thought to himself, 'if only I wasn't your rival.'  
  
As you can probably guess, Rakane was very popular among the boys (despite the fact that she was more masculine than several boys in the school.)  
  
Need further proof? Here it comes now.  
  
"Ni Hao, Ai de!" said Wang Peng, master of the Amazon art of Stealth. While the Amazons technique allowed warriors to ambush their foes, Wang Peng was using it this morning for the sole purpose of glomping.  
  
"Get off, you crazed pervert!"  
  
While he was quite cute, Wang Peng's bear-hugs always squeezed very tightly a part of Rakane's anatomy that she preferred unsquozen.  
  
"I'm sorry, ai de, I'm just so glad to see you."  
  
He didn't loosen his hold.  
  
"You got two seconds to state your business before I smash your head in."  
  
"Well," he said cheerfully. He adjusted slightly his spectacles, which only magnified his deep purple eyes. "I was wondering if you'd mind going on a date with me this Saturday."  
  
'Criminny,' she thought, 'since when did everything revolve around Saturday?' Not that it mattered; Rakane already knew her answer.  
  
"No! Never! In your dreams!!"  
  
"You don't mind? You've made me so happy! See you then."  
  
By the time Rakane grasped Peng's exact phrasing, the Chinese boy had already evaporated into the hallway, leaving only echoing laughter.  
  
Blink.  
  
"THAT'S CHEATING!!!!!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"UHFF."  
  
Another wooden post splintered under Rakane's punch. She wiped her brow, tightened the belt on her gii, and replaced the training stick with another that she had laid aside.  
  
"You know, you're not supposed to break the post," said a male voice off to the side.  
  
"I don't need your advice," Rakane replied to Raniki.  
  
Raniki, Rakane's older brother, was sitting calmly on the patio, watching his little sister train. He sported a stylish ponytail and was probably the strongest boy in his high-school level, but he had long ago traded in his training gear for the latest fashion style. Money, and tricking people out of it, was his forte.  
  
"Please, something must be bothering you if you're training that hard," said Rakane's older sister, Kadoka. She carried with her three tall glasses of lemonade.  
  
Sweet Kadoka; She always reminded Rakane of her mother. Kind, a great cook.  
  
.and deadly when it came to swords.  
  
"Well," Rakane yielded, "It turns out that I'm attending an Ice Skating contest with Kuroshi, a challenge with that Guiseppe kid, and a date with Peng, all this Saturday."  
  
"Oh dear."  
  
"What she said," retorted Raniki.  
  
Rakane sat down and stared hard at the ground.  
  
"I don't know who to let down. While they're all insane, they are the few people I feel, well, normal around. I don't want to have any of them mad at me, not even that Chinese kid.  
  
. especially since they're all psychotic and may do something disturbing if I stand them up."  
  
"Who says you can't be with all three?" said Raniki casually.  
  
"What d'you mean?"  
  
"Easy. Arrange to have the outing/fight/date all at Kolkhoz High School. The school's big enough that you could slip out to meet one guy without the other two finding out."  
  
"But that's dishonorable!" gasped Kadoka.  
  
"No more dishonorable than standing them up."  
  
"All right." Rakane stood up a stroke a definitive pose. "I'll do it!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Rakane shifted her weight from one leg to the other as she waited for Kuroshi. Every few seconds she pulled down on the hem her skirt, not really comfortable in anything but pants. It's ridiculously hard to find one article of clothing that says "I'm your friend," "I'm your girlfriend," and "I'm going to kick your butt to Jupiter" at the same time. Something had to be sacrificed, and Rakane would've felt a lot better if it hadn't been combat sense.  
  
10:01.  
  
In walked Kuroshi with a big smile and, not surprisingly, his wooden Kendo sword. He wasn't even very good at Kendo, he just carried the sword everywhere he went, not unlike a certain Charles Schultz character and his security blanket.  
  
"Hey, Kuroshi, over here."  
  
"Wow," he said, "you look great!"  
  
Rakane tried to hide her smile under a scowl.  
  
"Don't get any ideas."  
  
The two sat down near the front of the rink and watched the skaters stretch and practice their routines without any music. It was only a matter of minutes before Rakane stood up and proclaimed:  
  
"Damn, I left my jacket in the lobby. I'll be back in a minute."  
  
  
  
10:05.  
  
Guiseppe was sure he got the wrong place. wouldn't have been the first time he'd been lost. He expected a vacant lot or a dojo or something, but not the overflowing lobby of a school auditorium, with posters everywhere saying "Ice-skating tournament." At least, that's what he thought they said (he was still working on his Japanese.)  
  
The Pizza boy was on his way out when Rakane's voice stopped him.  
  
"Wait up, Guiseppe."  
  
He turned around and did a double-take. He was quite shocked to see her wearing a sleeveless tee-shirt and a skirt.  
  
"T-this is what you wear to challenges?"  
  
"Uh, for the most part," she lied.  
  
'Must be a Japanese thing,' he thought to himself as he followed her into the school.  
  
"The gymnasium is right next to the auditorium, I think," she said as she led Guissepe down the halls. Both of them tugged firmly on the gym doors, but they were locked shut.  
  
"What do we-"  
  
Before he could finish the sentence, Rakane jumped upon the occasion.  
  
"You wait here while I try to find the janitor."  
  
10:09.  
  
Wang Peng's sifting, thirsting eyes were relieved as Rakane walked towards him in the school lobby.  
  
"There you are," he said with relief.  
  
Rakane sucked in two lungs full of air and barreled ahead with the plan.  
  
"Sorry, I didn't say where to meet you."  
  
"Oh, don't you worry about it," he said eloquently (and with a pearly smile to boot.)  
  
'Damn,' she thought, 'for a kid who spent his whole life in a village of Chinese Amazons, his Japanese was pretty good.'  
  
The two took a seat near the back of the auditorium.  
  
"Excuse me," she said, "I have to."  
  
She was running out of excuses.  
  
"Powder my nose." she said mechanically. Peng bought it.  
  
~~~  
  
"Sorry I took so long," she said to Kuroshi as she sat down next to him.  
  
"No problem." His tone of voice expressed otherwise. "But where's your jacket?"  
  
Rakane looked down; the only thing she was carrying was her purse.  
  
"Silly me, I forgot it again. I better go get it!"  
  
~~~  
  
"Did you find a janitor?" Guiseppe asked as Rakane ran to the gym doors.  
  
Rakane peeked behind her to see Kuroshi walking around the halls of the school.  
  
'Oh no, he's followed me! And if I walk into the auditorium with him, Peng might see us together and suspect!'  
  
"No, but I found someplace equally good. Follow me."  
  
She Pushed Guiseppe down the halls, away from Kuroshi, and out the side exit of the school.  
  
"The baseball fields?" Guiseppe asked.  
  
No, somebody might see them.  
  
"Actually, how about the roof?"  
  
'None of the travel guides mentioned this,' Guiseppe thought as his powerful legs launched him onto the school roof.  
  
The two young masters posed themselves for combat, not speaking a word. Guiseppe held in his dominant hand a battle pizza-cutter, which would have looked very much like a sword if not for the rotating, circular blade.  
  
Rakane was raised for hand-to-hand, and that was how she liked it.  
  
Like an improvised dance, the two ducked and wove through each other's attacks. Rakane would dodge the pizza cutter by mere centimeters, only to find Guiseppe's knee in her stomach. Likewise, every time Guiseppe threw a punch he tasted not victory but Rakane's elbow.  
  
During a brief pause, the two smiled at each other.  
  
"Care for a breather?" Rakane asked.  
  
"Why don't we go inside? I bet it's cool near the ice rink."  
  
The two hopped down from the roof and Rakane bit her lip.  
  
"I don't."  
  
Kuroshi was nowhere in the halls.  
  
".see why not. Why don't you go ahead, and I'll meet up with you."  
  
~~~  
  
'That was close,' Rakane thought as she saw Guiseppe enter the auditorium. 'Now Guiseppe is right where I need him.  
  
.IN THE FRONT ROW, NEAR KUROSHI!'  
  
Rakane raced as fast as her animated legs would take her. She still had time to stop the two from meeting, if only she could avoid-  
  
"Ai de! How I've missed you!"  
  
Glomp.  
  
"AAAUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!"  
  
The cry of frustration caught the attention of every individual in the entire auditorium, including the skaters.  
  
"Rakane! There you are," Kuroshi and Guiseppe said in unison. Without acknowledging each other's existence, they climbed the stairs shoulder-to- shoulder.  
  
"Now guys," Rakane started.  
  
It didn't look like they would let her finish.  
  
"Wang Peng, what brings you here?"  
  
"A date with my ai de, believe it or not."  
  
"Guys."  
  
"With 'ai de' you mean Rakane, don't you?" Guiseppe said with building unease.  
  
"Excuse me." Kuroshi said.  
  
Everyone pushed him out of mind.  
  
"Yes a date. You make it sound like I had forced her."  
  
"Well, she did come here with me to settle a challenge."  
  
"Excuse me."  
  
"Well, we had a date scheduled for today, and she said to meet her here."  
  
"EXCUSE ME!!!!!!"  
  
"Put a sock in it, Kuroshi!!!" Rakane, Peng and Guiseppe said in unison.  
  
"That. wasn't me," Kuroshi said timidly.  
  
The three turned around to see a disgruntled pair of skaters on the stairs. One was a tall bishonen boy, the other a small, cute girl with a large bow in her hair. Both were bedecked in white and sequins.  
  
"Who are these two?" Rakane asked bluntly. In the entire course of the day, she had yet to see one minute of actual ice-skating.  
  
"The Golden Pair," Kuroshi said, hugging tightly his sword for security.  
  
Mikado of the Golden Pair had originally ascended the stairs, his mind set on expressing his anger. But oh, how our plans change.  
  
As the pig-tailed girl turned when he addressed her, Mikado became lost in her fiery eyes, rosy cheeks, and tender lips, which just waited to be kissed.  
  
And thus Mikado's train of thought was derailed instantaneously (not for the first time, mind you.)  
  
"It is quite obvious that this sweet girl does not want to be in the middle of your fight, you raucous vandals."  
  
"Say what?" was everyone's response.  
  
Mikado held Rakane's hand and led her down a stair. The tone in his voice was as sweet as syrup (and twice as sticky.)  
  
"There, there. You'll be all right. Your Prince is here to rescue you."  
  
Rakane couldn't believe her ears.  
  
"What the hell are you talkin' about?"  
  
Meanwhile, Wang Peng and Guiseppe were taking this equally well.  
  
"You take your hands off Rakane!"  
  
"Yeah! She's my date!"  
  
"Actually." Kuroshi started, but of course didn't get a chance to finish.  
  
"If you don't freeze right there," Guiseppe barked angrily, "I'm going to smash your head in!"  
  
"The same goes for me," Peng said.  
  
Mikado stared out Guiseppe. Then at Peng.  
  
Then he bowed his head, and, to everyone's disgust, kissed Rakane's hand.  
  
"That's it! Let's settle this outside!"  
  
"No," Mikado said calmly. "Let's settle this in the rink."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Explain this to me one more time," Rakane said flatly as she ungracefully adjusted the pair of nylon stockings she had put on ten minutes ago.  
  
"Well," Kuroshi started, "today's Ice Skating Competition is no ordinary ice-skating match. It is the District High Schools' Martial Arts Skating Competition. Since Furinkan High has no team this year, the judges accepted Guiseppe and Wang's challenge to Mikado as admission into the competition ('cause they're both Furinkan High Students.)"  
  
"Well, that part I got," Rakane said.  
  
In the mirror she looked at the blue and black sequined skater outfit she was wearing.  
  
"What I wanted to know is WHY AM I FIGHTING TOO?!?!"  
  
" 'cause the rules specifically require a girl and a guy for each school entered."  
  
"Great, that's just great," she grumbled as she approached the rink.  
  
'Martial Arts Skating, eh?' she thought. 'Now I wish I had paid attention, this could have been fun to watch.'  
  
"Skating for Kolkhoz High School," the announcer began. Our Furinkan heroes could not help but be nervous when they saw the intricate light cues.  
  
"The Golden Pair of Martial Skating,  
  
Azuza Shiratori and Mikado!"  
  
The two slid onto the ice like swans onto a lake.  
  
"While skating for Furinkan is Rakane Saotendo and."  
  
There was a long pause. People in the audience began whispering to each other.  
  
"Um," Rakane said as she faced Kuroshi, Guiseppe, and Wang Peng. "Did you guys actually decide which of you was actually going to skate?"  
  
She could tell by the look on their faces that they hadn't.  
  
"Well, I'll just skate with the strongest of you guys."  
  
Boy, did she regret saying that. The announcer declared the match started, but the Furinkans were squabbling too loudly to notice.  
  
"It should be me," said Guiseppe. "I'm the one who came here to fight with her."  
  
"No," said Peng, adjusting his glasses, "you came here to fight against Rakane. The last thing she needs right now is another opponent, so get lost."  
  
"Let me strike down the blaggard," said Kuroshi. He had even taken the time to adorn feudal-style robes that matched his ice skates.  
  
"She wants strongest?" said Wang as he took a fighting stance. "I'll show her which of us is strongest."  
  
Rakane was not normally the voice of reason, but the role was forced upon her. Before she could say anything to dissuade the two foreigners from fighting, Guiseppe launched an impressive kick aimed directly at Wang. At least, it was aimed at where he had been.  
  
The target had evaporated into thin air.  
  
"Behind you," the Chinese boy said. Guiseppe turned around just in time to be uppercutted by Peng.  
  
"Guys, you gotta stop this!"  
  
Guiseppe wasn't listening. He grabbed Peng by the collar and slapped his face twice with his knuckles. The moment he let the Chinese boy's shirt slip from his fingers, Peng had vanished yet again.  
  
"Dang," said Guiseppe, turning to Rakane in shock. "Where'd you pick up this guy?"  
  
"He followed me home."  
  
Azuza and Mikado had had about all they could take. While the bickering and feuding amongst the Furinkans made them look all the better, the challengers were stealing every bit of focus. Also, Mikado noted, the two boys duking it out actually threatened to upstage him.  
  
"Look, I've had enough of this. Either everyone else leaves or you forfeit, AND loose the challenge. It's up to-"  
  
Wang Peng burst through the ice and clasped like a ravenous monkey onto Mikado's back. Only after he had clawed viciously at his face eight or nine times did Peng wipe the ice that obstructed his glasses.  
  
"Oh. My apologies," he said, hoping off of the scarred skater's back.  
  
"Peng," Rakane shouted, "Do you know what you just did to that guy?"  
  
"I think we should be more concerned with what Peng did to the rink," said Kuroshi casually.  
  
The entire group leaped back when they say how Peng had entered. A large gaping hole was left in the ice, underneath which dwelled a large amount of water. Ice water.  
  
One of Rakane's few flaws was her horrible fear of water. Small drinking glasses were fine, ice cubes were okay. Giant swimming pools with only the top few feet frozen were NOT on her "Fine" list.  
  
'That's the last straw," Mikado said, fiercely skating over to Wang Peng.  
  
"I've had just about-"  
  
SPLOoosh.  
  
He was the one person in the whole auditorium that hadn't noticed the hole.  
  
"Well, that was fast," Rakane commented.  
  
"Oh no," rung out the announcer, "Mikado Tarou has fallen through the ice!!!"]  
  
The groups laughter was dashed into a million pieces as the ice underneath them cracked and quaked. A massive figure pulled himself to the surface of the ice, and the air was filled with the pungent odor of wet dog.  
  
The three boys stood dump-struck, their jaws extending to their belts. Rakane's mind was faster, though. Her memory flashed to last summer, during her yearly training mission with her Uncle Genma Saotendo. At the Training Grounds of Jusenkyo, she hesitated to stand atop the bamboo polls for fear of falling in. Her Uncle proceeded forward, fell into a spring, and emerged as a panda. While it was a long shot, maybe something similar had happened to Mikado.  
  
Of course, the three boys had good reason to be petrified. The powerful yak/yeti/crane/snake was certainly monstrous to say the least. Azuza, along with every other girl in the auditorium, trampled over each other in a mad dash for the exits. Mikado shed a tear for all of the kisses he would not receive. The tear evaporated into steam as he turned to lonely warriors standing on the ice.  
  
King Kong was pissed.  
  
"What now?" Guiseppe asked.  
  
"Well, why don't you let-"  
  
"Fear not, gentle Rakane," Kuroshi said while charging, "Thy deliverance is nigh-"  
  
The beast roared and Kuroshi turned about-face without even slowing a step.  
  
"Wish you all well!" he said as he bolted out of the rink.  
  
"Why don't you let me take a crack?" said Wang Peng, this time without interruption.  
  
"Ladies first," Guiseppe replied.  
  
The colossal pervert towered over our heroic, much smaller pervert. The boy readjusted the glasses on his nose one last time. before pulling two bonbories from out of nowhere. His opponent bellowed once and stroke downwards with his treetrunk-of-a-fist. Peng easily leaped over the blow, but the ice beneath him was shattered from the force. He managed to hit Mikado once on the head with his right bonbori, but he was soon swiped aside by the beast/boy's tiny wings.  
  
Peng landed to the ground and struck a fighting stance, but much too late. He was unprepared for the speed of the creature, and did not have time to brace himself for the blow. The hairy arm launched the Chinese boy across the ring and into the plastic seats of the audience.  
  
Silently, Guiseppe approached the beast, and with little more success Peng. When Mikado's snake tail swept Guiseppe's legs from behind, the Italian lay prone to Mikado's fist. Guiseppe was punched through the ice, and it didn't look like he'd be resurfacing for a fight anytime soon.  
  
'So,' Rakane thought, 'it's up to me.'  
  
Aerial Combat was the Saotendo art's greatest strength, so Rakane decided to try a flying leap at the creature. Mikado was too large for her to miss, but the full impact of her strike didn't even through off his balance. He proceeded to swat her aside like a mosquito. She punched and kicked him several times more, but he seemed impervious to them all. Similarly, he was too heavy for judo moves and any attempts at wrestling locks or holds would be suicidal. There seemed no chance of victory.  
  
'What do I do, what do I-'  
  
With all of her thinking, she had let her guard down She skidded across the ice, and managed to crawl to her knees.  
  
Now, Rakane has stooped to some pretty low and inspired tactics before. After all, she did have Genma for an uncle. She has bluffed, she has gone completely berserk, but never  
  
ever  
  
before  
  
has  
  
she  
  
cried.  
  
"Oh," she moaned aloud, sniffing loudly. "What a horrible monster!"  
  
Mikado stopped, almost aghast at what he had done to this sweet, beautiful girl (and her lips.)  
  
"If only there was some dashing, handsome prince to console me in my hour of greatest fear!"  
  
Beast-like Mikado: [Exit stage right.]  
  
About three minutes later (more or less, depending on atmospheric pressures,) the bishonen Mikado reentered the ring, wet, hastily dressed, and showing burn marks from over-heated water.  
  
"Rest now, sweet girl, I'll-"  
  
One punch. That's all she needed to silence the freak for 65 hours.  
  
With all the excitement, all of the bad dates and opponents, Rakane just wanted to do one thing:  
  
Get out of the stupid, sequined outfit.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kuroshi was back to his normal street clothing and so was Rakane. As he walked home, he rested his kendo sword against his shoulder and watched Rakane stroll atop the fence.  
  
".So when Mikado has hot water on him, he changes back?"  
  
"That's how it works," she replied casually.  
  
"And how is Wang Peng doing?"  
  
"Back to normal, I'm afraid," she said, rubbing her sore chest.  
  
"And Guiseppe?"  
  
"Well, that's just it," she replied, a look of confusion. "Yet again, he's disappeared, just like our battle at the Water-Park. I never saw him after either match. But odds are I'll bump into him again just before school starts, the same as always."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"You know what?" Rakane asked. Her half-smile was illuminated by the red sunset. "If you hadn't dragged me to this Skating thing, I never would have faced the toughest opponent in my entire life. Thanks."  
  
All Kuroshi did was laugh.  
  
"What's so funny?" she replied.  
  
"You think that guy's scary?" he asked, wiping a tear. "You haven't met my sister."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
CHAPTER 2: Kudasa!  
  
All characters above are based on characters that are copyright to Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan, Inc, and Viz Communications Inc and are used without permission. Pleeeeaase don't call the Feds!!!! 


	2. Kudasa, the Hyacinth

Rakane ½

created by Jia Ri Meng & Paper Tiger

Special Thanks to Jenna Lee

Prologue

When the sun sets and the sky turns a vivid orange, painting downtown Nerima in gentle pastels, it's the perfect time for couples to be out on a stroll.

Sadly, the couple we're focusing on at the moment is not romance based at all. A couple of Weirdoes is more like it.

Cue best friends Kuroshi and Spike, two buds heading home from the Arcade. Seemingly normal kids, but one or two things start to strike you as odd. Even for Nerima.

"Spike" 's real name is Daisuke Gusenkugi. He looks like about every other male student at Furinkan High, except for maybe his eyes. The thick lines under his eyes are dark enough to have been drawn with permanent marker. He also has a tendency to stare directly in front of him for long periods of time. The nickname "Spike" came from allegations of performing voodoo rituals; rumors he has neither confirmed nor denied. All in all, most people find him normal enough to be around, while the rest are too superstitious to wantonly aggravate him. He probably is the least abused student at school.

The exact opposite is true for Kuroshi, the Blue Blunder of Furinkan High. His shaggy hair sets him apart from most students, but his physical appearance is by no means conspicuous. What stands out about him is the wooden kendo blade he **always** carries with him...that and his tendency to quote poetry. Even though Kuroshi didn't make the school Kendo team, they keep him around anyway, like a mascot. He's good luck for the team. At least, the team members _tell_ him they flush his head in the toilets for luck.

Only a block away from the park, with the shops closing around them, Kuroshi and Spike were about to part ways.

-But an errant gust of wind and a burning sixth-sense warned Kuroshi that something was amiss. He dived at his friend and forced him down to the pavement.

Quoth the Spike, 

"What the ***%$#** was **that** for?!? "

But Kuroshi raised a finger to his lips at a painfully slow speed. Without a single word, he warned Spike against making any sudden movements. Kuroshi could hear it leaping nimbly from branch to branch within the park. Only when it had lost interest and darted away did Kuroshi help his friend up.

Spike stared at his friend dumbfounded for a moment before a memory floated back to him. A memory of absolute terror. His raccoon eyes widened.

"You mean, that was-"

Kuroshi nodded gravely. Neither said a word for a moment, but something troubled Spike.

"But aren't **you** of all people safe from that**_terror_**?"

"Not Hardly. 

Evil is evil."

[Cue ominous chords]

Chapter 2: The Hyacinth!  
By Jia Ri Meng 

Guiseppe was wandering rather hopelessly around the streets of Nerima, Tokyo. Wasn't Furinkan High around here somewhere? He had to hurry, school was about to start. Luckily he'd managed to leave his house at 5:30, so he could get to school on time. Finally Guiseppe saw the big Clock tower over the nearby houses. He was almost there! With fifteen minutes to spare, too! 

Guiseppe ran light-hearted towards the school with a box of stone-cold pepperoni and extra-cheese pizza in his hand. He usually delivered pizza for his Dad's ill-fated business, but today he had a different plan. He was going to present this pizza to _her_! Dribbled on the cheese in tomato sauce was the simple message "I Love You!" written in the **_best_** Kanji he could muster. Today he'd finally tell Rakane Saotendo how he really felt about her! Emotional tears filled his eyes as he melodramatically envisioned he and Rakane slowly advancing to kiss 

Just before he was flattened beneath a ten-speed bicycle. He painfully looked up at the rider. A Chinese boy with short black hair and glasses, dressed in a traditional shirt and pants. The boy stopped only momentarily to look at his victim before jokingly ringing the bell on his handle-bar. 

(ding-ding) "To your left!" he cried and then peddled away, laughing shrilly.

"**Waaaaang Peeeeeng**," was all Guiseppe could manage to reply.

Then he gasped in horror. On the back of Peng's bicycle was a large brown paper bag with "Mao Fan Guan" printed on it. Guisseppe pried himself off the ground and chased after the miscreant on foot.

"So? (huff) What's in the bagh-huh?" He said between gasps.

"Food for my Ai de," replied Wang coolly. His hands weren't even on the handles. 

Guiseppe gulped. Wang had stolen his idea!....But then, Wang Peng's family owned a restaurant too. He looked in the bag; cartons full of rice, chicken, noodles, soup, orangesenough for ten people. And it was _hot_. Guiseppe looked wistfully at his cold, soggy pizza. He was crushed, he could never compete with a full-course Chinese feast! But then.Guiseppe was never one to take competition lightly. 

"You'll have to beat me to Rakane first!" he shouted and with a loud battle cry increased his speed ten-fold. Wang only gritted his teeth and peddled faster.

The two boys sped on at a phenomenal pace, their legs pumping like pistons. When one starting taking the lead, the other only matched his speed. Guiseppe's shoes were beginning to wear out and Peng's tires were starting to smoke. 

Soon the bridge over the drainage canal was drawing closer. With only enough leeway for **one** person! **_Who _**_would pass by_? When suddenly, a **third **party stepped on to the bridge. The two boys gasped. IT WAS **RAKANE**! They were coming straight at her and they couldn't stop! She was going to pay the price for their jealousy and pride! **OH THE HUMANITYYYYYY!**

SpLASH!

SPLOosh!

Rakane turned around. Had someone fallen into the canal? Looking into the water she saw a sopping wet Wang Peng, who was up to his waist in water, along with his bike and floating cartons of ruined Chinese food. He looked like he was going to cry.

"Peng! Are you okay?" she called. Before Peng could answer, Rakane heard a cough from the other side on the canal. Sitting there both soaked and upset was a girl her age with shoulder-length red hair and a boy's school uniform on. 

"Hey! You alright!?" cried Raniki, Rakane's older brother. The girl only coughed and sputtered, "Yah."

"Hey Wang! You need to watch where you're going, you knocked someone in!" chided Rakane angrily to him. 

"Hang on, we'll get you out!" Rakane shouted reassuringly to the girl.

"No need," the redhead said as she bounded up twelve feet back on to the bridge. "Thanks anyway." She turned bright red and started to walk away. 

"WAIT!" called Rakane. "Wait don't go! Wanna walk to school with me? You go to Furinkan, don't you?" the stranger nodded, not even looking back.

"What's your name?" asked Rakane gently.

The red-haired girl stopped and turned around.

"I'm Gi-.uh." She stopped short for some reason. "Gia(yah, that's it.) My name is Gia." 

Rakane bowed. "Nice to meet you. My name is-." 

"Rakane," finished Gia. "I know."

Rakane blinked. How did this girl know who she wasShe _did_ look kind of _familiar_, but Rak ane had never seen her before. She shrugged and they kept walking towards the school. She glanced at her brother, Raniki, who was on the other side of the street balancing on the high walls that surrounded the neighborhood houses. He looked vaguely uneasy about something. So did Gia for that matter. Rakane tried to strike up conversation again.

"Souh I noticed you're wearing a boy's uniform," she casually commented, hoping at the same time that Gia wouldn't be offended.

"Uh..yah," Gia mumbled. "Idon't like wearing skirts. And, you gotta admit that those cardigans are pretty old-fasioned. "

"I know what you mean," giggled Rakane. Was it her imagination, or did Gia actually **smile**? "Feeling better?" she asked.

"Mmm!" Gia nodded cheerfully.

"I'm glad!" replied Rakane truthfully. "Hey, what's that under your arm?"

"Huh?" Gia had forgotten all about what she was carrying, and withdrew from her arm, a squished, wet Pizza box. 

"Hey!" cried Rakane. "This is from Guiseppe's dad's Pizza Parlor!"

"Um, yah. He asked me to give it to you!" said Gia with a catch in her voice.

"Oh! You know Guiseppe?" Rakane was starting to understand. "You must be his sister! I knew it! I knew you were familiar! You both talk with the same accent!"

"Uh! No-no-no! I'm uh not his sister! I'm not even Italian!Sicilian?" Gia looked unsure of this, which confused Rakane. But then, maybe she didn't know how to say "Sicilian" in Japanese. Rakane decided to take her word for it."So you're not related?"

"Nahjust good friends. My mom knows his dady'know, that kinda thing!" Gia then remembered the pizza and gave it to Rakane rather sheepishly. 

"S-sorry its all ruined." She said with a sigh. Rakane only smiled. And opened the box courteously. Sure enough, it was completely ruined. 

"Stupid Wang Peng. He's such a block-head sometimes. " she muttered. 

Waitaminnit. There was something in the sauce. She couldn't make out one of the words. "I (smush) YOU." What could that smudge have meant? I **got** you? I **like** you?.I **_challenge_**you? THAT'S IT!

A challenge! It _must_ be a challenge! Well, Rakane was up for that today and her face broke into a determined grin. She felt like asserting some authority today. It would be fun. Gia was watching her anxiously.

"What is it? Something about the pizza?" she said trying to sound as if she wasn't in the know. 

"YahGuiseppe told me something, and I kinda like the idea."

"**_Really?_**" Gia was looking pretty excited.

"Uh-hunh. If you see him today, tell him I accept, and will be waiting for him on the roof after school."

"GREAT! I'll be there!-**I mean!** I'll tell him to be there!" said Gia almost jumping up and down. They had just walked through Furinkan High's gates and into the school yard.

"Oh! You don't know what this will mean to him!" Gia said skipping merrily.

"Boy, you Mediterranians sure are funny," said Rakane. "Hey I just realized you're still all soaked! We still have ten minutes before the first bell. Lets go to the girls room and dry you off!"

Gia stared at her horrified.

"Wha-WHAT!? The girls room!? I mean you and me?"

"Yah," answered Rakane, confused at her reaction. "Why, is there something wrong with that?"

Gia started to stammer, but was cut short by pounding footsteps and a voice calling RAKANE **_RAKANE_**! Everyone in the schoolyard turned to see Kuroshi, kendo sword in hand, racing across the courtyard. Eyes rolled and exasperated sighs abounded as he approached Rakane, his face white as a bar of soap. 

"**_RA-KA-NE!_**" he screamed in her face.

"Um, okay, Kuro-kun, you can stop shouting now," said Rakane, trying to be patient. "What's up?"

"There's a new student in class today!" he managed to say, his voice tremulous.

Rakane shrugged. 

"So what's so terrifying about that, y'know?"

Rakane glanced back at Gia, but the redheaded girl was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Guiseppe was standing there earnestly, and steaming slightly. Rakane shrugged, but was drawn out of her thoughts when Kuroshi grabbed her by her cardigan, to convey his seriousness to her.

"**You don't understand**!" he cried fearfully. 

Rakane then decided to "convey" her fist to him. She marched off to class in a huff and was through the doorway before Kuroshi hit the ground. 

Raniki and Guiseppe watched this all in reverent silence, they both knew better than to get in the way. Guiseppe was about to join Rakane for class when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. Spinning around he discovered Raniki. Both boys knew each other as martial artists, and had respect for each other, but they had barely exchanged more than a few words. Thus Guiseppe was surprised to hear Raniki say _anything_, but he never expected him to say,

"You should be more careful, **_Gia_**."

A cold chill ran down Guiseppe's back.

"You_saw_ me!?" he whispered, barely audible.

Raniki nodded and stared hard at the Italian.

"I think I was the only one," he replied. "I won't tell anyone, but on the condition that you don't take advantage of my sister, got it? No more of this gal-pal thing. Understand?"

Guiseppe was taken aback. Use his girl form to get close to Rakane? It had never occurred to him before! He was far too chivalrous for that!

"I promise," he said nobly. "And you promise you won't tell her?" he asked nervously.

Raniki shook his hand. "By my honor as a martial artist." He said firmly.

Guiseppe sighed in relief and turned to go to class. He then felt Raniki's hand on his shoulder again. He turned around to see the expressionless Raniki with his palm extended.

"for ¥10,000 ."

As soon as Guiseppe entered the classroom (¥10,000 less in his wallet) with Kuroshi tailing him shouting, "evil I tells yah! EVIL!", the teacher cleared his throat.

"Class we have a new student today."

The entire class sat at attention. The last new students had been Rakane, Wang Peng, and Guiseppe. They were all curious who would be the newest addition to the "hall of freaks."

Rakane looked interested too. 

_I wonder who this new guy is that Kuroshi's so scared of?_ She thought. _Well if he gives Kuroshi any more problems I'll just kick his_

"I would like to introduce Miss Kudasa Kuroshi."

Rakane fell out of her chair. At the front of the class stood a girl with long, curly, brown hair tied back in a bow, and dressed in a ridiculously frilly green dress, looking timid and shy. Hold on, Kudasa **Kuroshi**? Kuroshi was _related_ to this girl? Maybe they weren't too fond of each other? Maybe she had teased him as a child? However at first glance, Kudasa looked about as dangerous as silk throw pillow.

She bowed politely to the teacher and addressed the class.

"Hello, everyone! I'm Kudasa Kuroshi, but please call me Hyacinth!' I just transferred from the St. Dionysus School for Girls!"

Rakane blinked. That posh, rich-girl school? Hyacinth continued.

"I have decided to take my talents elsewhere, and thus enrolled in this quaint school, so I may expand my _weltamschang_, and be closer to my dear, _dear_ twin brother!" Hyacinth then waved at Kuroshi who was puffing up to look more ferocious. 

"Your twin sister???" hissed Rakane, "You're afraid of your own _sister_?"

"Why not?" whispered Kuroshi defensively. "You're afraid of your brother!!"

Rakane brushed this aside. "That is **_so_** totally different!"

"We'll see," said Kuroshi with a melancholy little grin.

Hyacinth, having finished, flounced over to Kuroshi, gave him a really vicious noogie and sat down behind himand began kicking his chair. It dawned on Rakane pretty soon what Kuro-kun had meant. Kuroshi bore the kicks like a hollow shell of a man, and his head was slightly smoking from the sheer friction of Hyacinth's knuckles.

Rakane, shielded her nose form the smell of burnt hair, and tried to distract Hyacinth from her new game.

"So... I hear that St. Dionysus is a pretty nice school. Why did you transfer, exactly?"

"Well (kick) I was rather bored (kick) of the other girls (kick). Bunch of rich snobs, y'know (kick)? I wanted to know (kick) how you _bourgeois_ (kick) lived (kick). Also (kick) there weren't any **boys** (kick) in our school (kick). It was so terribly boring (kick). Besides_Tanpopo_ and meare (kick) inseparable! 

Rakane burst out laughing! She had lost all her pity for Kuro-kun when she had heard his ridiculous pet name. She rudely pointed her finger at Kuroshi and through her braying laughter managed to say,

"She calls you _DANDELION_?"

At this, the entire class joined Rakane in explosive spasms of hooting and guffawing. Kuroshi tried to focus on some far away place where he still had dignityand no one was laughing at him. It must have been **_very_** far away, because he didn't manage to find it. After Hyacinth's 487th kick, he went off the deep end. He leaped on his chair, raised his bamboo blade over his head and smote Hyacinth on the head with itat leastthat's what he had_ intended_ to do. 

A silence of utter astonishment fell over the class as Hyacinth quietly pulled out a sparkly baton and deflected the blow, like it was an irritating fly. She then counter-attacked with her pink weapon of destruction. One good swish was enough to send Kuroshi flying out the windowlooking very unhappy. All eyes currently staring at her grew to the size of hubcaps. 

"At St. Dionysus, I was Drum Majorette of the school's marching band and drill squad." She announced. Soon the class settled down again.

Rakane felt a twinge of consciousness for Kuroshi, but it passed when she remembered that Kuro-kun deserved it after trying to kill his sister! It never even crossed her mind that taunting him had contributed. Instead, she turned to Hyacinth and smiled cheerfully. Hyacinth answered in kind. 

"Hey Hyacinth, we're both kinda new and I'd really like to get to know you! Since its Friday, why don't you sleep over at my house tonight?"

Hyacinth clapped her hands "How charmingly plebian! I'd be delighted!"

Rakane arched an eyebrow. Hyacinth was _interesting_. 

"Shall we depart after school?" continued Hyacynth.

Rakane was about to nod, when she remembered the "challenge" from Guiseppe.

"Actually, I'm meeting someone then. How bout I swing by your place around 5:00? Sound good?"

"Wonderful!" chimed Hyacinth, smiling.

The teacher then announced independent reading time (ie: faculty cigarette break) and the two girls fell silent with the rest of the class, except for a few of the boys who sat in the back. Hyacinth was having trouble concentratingmaybe it was that draft from the broken window. Her eyes started wandering around the class and its occupants. It had your usual high school collection. The jocks, the nerds, the delinquents, Spike, the exchange studentshmm. Hyacinth stopped here; not at Wang Peng, of course, but on the gorgeous boy with shoulder-length brown hair, olive skin, and sparkling green eyes. He seemed to be having a hard time with his book, and kept looking up words ina Japanese-Italian Dictionary. 

She pretended to drop her pencil, hoping he'd pick it upunfortunately, he was an entire class-length away from her, so she just chucked it at him. It bounced off his head with a resounding "doink!" and his head shot up. He then caught sight of Hyacinth, looking shocked and mouthing"I'm sorry!" 

Hyacinth blushed scarlet, when Guiseppe actually got out of his seat and walked over to her to give her back her pencil.

"Thankyou," she whispered, her eyes wide and shimmering.

"You are welcome," said Guiseppe in his thick Italian accent, as he flashed a dazzling smile and went back to his seat.

"Chaaaaarge!" whispered Hyacinth under her breath.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**To be continued**


End file.
